Been quite a while since she's seen daylight - I don't think she's been out since I started the garage, so it's been an easy couple of years. I was moving her back to the new garage so I can actually work on her again.

Definitely fought me getting things going:

-Battery tender failed and the battery went totally flat. Ended up buying a new battery as I couldnt get it to hold any real voltage.

-Fuel pump outlet connection failed again. It's got twin 320 lph pumps in the tank on a PWM speed controller. Problem is it runs both pumps 100% for a few seconds to prime the lines. The bad thing is the return isnt sized to handle 200% pumps with the engine totally off (IE it fails to start the first time after the lines are already primed, the pressure spikes if you take too long turning it from on to start). Pops the outlet hose off one pump and sounds like a shower in the tank as both pumps spray all over.

Broke out the old gas can with a walbro 255 inside and hard connected it straight to the rails. Pretty ugly, but plenty good enough for getting from a to b. Of course had to go get more e85 since I poured all of the fresh stuff Id bought into the tank. Longer term plan is to ditch the speed controlled and put the second pump on a boost activated Hobbs so itll only ever have 2 pumps on at wide open throttle.

-MAF went nuts. No idea what happened - it ran OK last I parked it, but now it's flailing AFR all over the place. Wouldnt run more than a few seconds before it swung to a AFR so far from stoich (both directions) that it died. Unplugged the MAF to put it back on MAP only and it fired up just fine. It's not VE tuned, so I cant really drive it like that much, but its fine for putting around the property.



Certainly not the prettiest thing between the hood mounted fuel tank, the unpainted side skirts, the bumper just set in place, and the coilovers cranked to max height - but defintiely good to get her running again and out in the daylight.

 

VERY NICE!!! Great to see your Monte with some daylight!!

 

Absolutely love seeing any and all updates with this car. Feel like I've been so invested in it since the MyMonte days, and love seeing it still

 

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it! Hopefully once I get power in this new garage I can start into some projects to get her looking nice again.

 

Any past pipe dreams that look more feasible today? Any chance youll do something crazy with it or just finish it up and let it be?

 

Absolutely - RWD conversion is the main goal. Ive got all of the parts for the t56 conversion and a 14" 4 piston front brake setup. Just need to get a donor car again (I had a F body for a while, but had to sell it when my GXP got totalled). As much as I liked the F body idea (to somewhat replicate what GM did with the John Moss monte), Im leaning a bit more towards a more modern chassis.


But I do plan to get it 100% back on the road again in the meantime while I collect parts for that. Id really like to set a 5th gen quarter mile record just before I tear it apart (in case it sends the transmission to the moon). The bar is super low for 5th gens - all of the quickest cars fell in the 11.9-12.2 range as far as Ive ever seen.

The cowl hood will be the only exception. It'll never fit with this huge IC. But itll fit just fine after a RWD conversion. But Im good just driving it hoodless until then - I actually kind of like to see the blower rocking around at idle.

 

To be honest, I've never seen your car before today. I must say it definitely looks great. I'm sure it turns head's everywhere you go. 😎

 

Thanks - I appreciate it!

Definitely get a lot of thumbs ups at stoplights between the choppy cam and the blower sticking out.